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Where do you fall on the autism spectrum?

DSM V combines Aspergers and High Functioning Autism, I’ve seen many autistic folks who are either very religious or very not— do you identify as Neuro-Typical (NT or ‘normal&rsquo😉 or are you Atypical? If you’re atypical, do you think people perceive you harshly? Especially in the confines of your views/beliefs?

ScientistV 7 Mar 14
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22 comments

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1

I am on the spectrum (Asperger's) but as a female it wasn't always obvious. I was often perceived as an odd kid with almost obsessive interests. As an adult, I don't find I am judged harshly, but as a kid I was. I had a few close friends, but wasn't even interested in being "popular" because I hate large crowds and would rather have a few good friends. My daughter also has Asperger's.

1

I'd like advice about my niece, 17. My brother is pretty sure she is on the spectrum, probably Aspergers, but has never had her diagnosed and/or treated. As her aunt, is there any advice I can give this brilliant (first in her class) but socially struggling kid?

1

Autism probably wasn't recognized when I was young say 60 years ago -- we were just tagged as "shy, bookish" -- welcome to the college of engineering! If I had not met an equally lonely nerd in calculus class - I doubt either of us would ever have married. I've had managing partners who NEVER looked anyone in the eye (no, he didn't have a foot fetish) - most of those that became supervisors or management were not on the scale - but the rank and file was/is filled w/ em.

I've a grandson w/ autism -- can see myself in some of his interactions/behavior - not as severely, but it's still there.

1

It may not be readily apparent, but I am very much so AS (HFA per DSM V) so I do have the vested interest in hearing how other people on the spectrum cope. It’s very NT to assume it’s about you though. XP

1

My 35 year old daughter was born with cerebral palsy. She was tested years ago and was told she had non-verbal communication disorder. These days her aunt, a school psychologist believes Becky is on the autism spectrum Her behavior is that of an adolescent so she's developmentally delayed. Quite frankly as a parent I am sick of all these labels. As a former Special Needs teacher who worked with autistic kids I say "accept them for who they are."

As an Aspie, we can learn from syndromes that give indicators on where to check. Sure you should accept a person as a whole, but you should also try to understand yourself as much as possible and these labels can be for us TOO.

1

I've never been diagnosed, and i doubt i would be, but I do share qualities of high functioning mildly autistic persons.

probbly the mos tobvious is that large crowds, although i cna tolerate them for short periods, tend to stress me out. I find noises of regular everyday activities to be annoying. I like things to be put away where they belong. physically it is mroe comfortable for me to be naked than clothed. I am honest and don't like or tolerate dishonest persons. By themselves none of these things seem abnormal, but all together, it may put me just outside of the autisim spectrum but just shy of where the lines lay.

0

Higher autism like everyone has I can remember strange things like how many seconds in a year. Just so happens to be 12 seconds in a year January 2ed on through to December 2ed.

1

If there was 0 to 10 for autism my son would be 12.We wish we could get in hes head and find out how he sees the world around him.We get really angry when we are told god has given him to us for a reason.I think my son is the main reason ive become this mad athiest.

1

I'm not autistic.

0

I know very little about it actually. In my school days nobody tested for it. I don't recall anyone that had it. I do recall that almost everyone got vaccinated in those days and that is a good idea. It makes me feel that vaccination has nothing to do with autism, so many people are simply misinformed.

2

In school I was the rebel, the instigator, the scary smart girl without any female delicacies. Then the world shifted and aligned itself to me. I do not think there was a scale back then.

3

I recognise several symptomatic behaviours in myself, mostly related to social situations and interpersonal stuff. Never gone for any testing though and at the age of 50 have pretty much learned to live with it.

2

I think I must be on it.

I was just labled a bad stutent.

3

I am not autistic. I exhibit some signs and symptoms but after my brother was diagnosed I was tested and did not fall under the autism spectrun. Instead I have an amalgamation of a few other disorders, mostly caused by trauma and early childhood abuse

But then you are female and females are notoriously under diagnosed as many females are very good at masking. DSM 5 is still very male centric in its diagnostic techniques.

Typically many females are diagnosed with other comorbid conditions which often mask ASC tendences.

3

I actually do fall on the spectrum. Just mild Aspergers. My sense of humor tends to be a bit different. I think it's more sophisticated. Refined. Although, that sounds a bit conceited. I find humor where most don't.

When I was diagnosed, they told me I had issues understanding jokes. My thinking was, my guy didn't know how to set up a joke so that it was clearly a joke. He was doing what I call, "ribbing." He said something he didn't mean, and he expected me to be able to tell given how little I knew about him that he didn't mean it (saying something you don't mean, shouldn't necessarily be considered a joke. It's teasing at best. The best example of ribbing is 'yo mama' jokes, but that's another subject).

I had some ocd affiliated too, but I've become much less ritualistic.

I do happen to be very not religious. Maybe that has something to do with strict ritualism or at least strong principles.

The main difference between me and my peers is they think there's something fundamental I don't get. I'd say it's they who don't get it. As to who's right? I've been wrestling with that all my life.

3

Odd question, IMO. It seems to suggest that a certain number of members here would fall somewhere on the autism spectrum. While there certainly may be some, I would not expect the number to be very high among a group of adults. Although rates of autism have steadily risen over the past decades, in the 70s and 80s, they were around 1 in 2000. I would venture that a fair portion of members were born before the 90s. Just an observation, certainly amenable to seeing where the topic goes.

Autism rates by age are rather unreliable in my opinion. All the way until the 90s people who would today have been evaluated as on the spectrum were instead simply treated as 'slightly off' or unusual and many went without any actual psychiatric evaluation due to the lack of access, social stigma, lack of education, and lack of diagnostic ability. Basically, a huge amount of 40s-80s generations were simply undiagnosed and written off as just strange kids.

The rate of detection is what changed. As did which umbrella one lands under. Obviously there will be left handed, LGBT, and other individuals with distinctive markers. Just saying it’s cool to see who else on here is also like me, but thanks.

3

I don't. I wouldn't say I'm 'neurotypical,' because between narcolepsy and clinical depression my brain does not fit the standard human mold, but I am not autistic. I realise my social problems stem from an abusive and isolating environment. My agnosticism may partially stem from that as well, but it mainly comes from realisations.

4

Definitely Atypical, AS on the old scale. I keep people at a distance and that works very well for me. I am seen as very easy to get on with and at that level people like me well enough. I have problems as people get to know me better, and they discover my rigid personality. I dumb down around people, this seems to make them feel comfortable. I can ignore slights, people don't get up my nose too much because I don't care. It is very hard to offend me, but if someone is determined they can get me peeved. Ocassionally someone will decide they really dislike me and make issues. That is when I slice and dice, I just destroy them and others around then realise I am perhaps not a nice person after all.

3

I'm neuro typical. My ex-husband has Asperger's. This is the only reason I know what I am.

4

Hmm. I might be on there somewhere (I exhibit some symptoms but not others) but haven't been formally tested or diagnosed. I'd like to know more about the terms involved though! as someone who doesn't know that much about it.

1

Hoping this finds you in the mood for a laugh @ScientistV "I must be none of the aforementioned because I can't understand a word of what you have written apart from your reported observation!"

I will gold star your post and see if other's comments make it comprehensible to me. 🙂

4

I don't know where I fit and I am not sure I even care to know.

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